Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has responded to Ishant Sharma’s recent claim that Zaheer had sarcastically told Virat Kohli, “you’ve ended my career,” after Kohli dropped a crucial catch of Brendon McCullum during a Test match in 2014. The incident came to light when Ishant was commentating during the Test series between India and West Indies.

Recalling the incident, Ishant Sharma said, “We were playing in New Zealand. Brendon McCullum had scored 300 runs, and when Virat Kohli dropped a catch, I remembered that this happened around lunch.” He added, “Virat said sorry to Zak, and Zak said, ‘No worries, we’ll get him out.’ During tea, Kohli said sorry again, and Zak told him not to worry. On the third day, when Kohli apologized during tea, Zak told him, ‘You’ve ended my career.'”

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However, Zaheer Khan has come forward to clarify his side of the story, denying Ishant’s claim. “I didn’t say that. I said that there were only two players, the first was Kiran More who dropped Graham Gooch, and he scored 300. After that, it’s Virat Kohli who dropped a catch, and someone scored 300. Then, he told me not to talk like that, naturally as he wouldn’t have felt good about that. The catch was dropped, and the runs were scored,” Zaheer revealed.

The incident occurred during a Test match against New Zealand in Wellington, which coincidentally turned out to be Zaheer’s last international match for India. McCullum went on to score a triple hundred in the second innings after being given a massive lifeline by Kohli’s dropped catch.

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New Zealand had already won the first match, and India was in a promising position in the second Test, looking to draw level. However, the dropped catch changed the narrative, and the Kiwis managed to secure a draw, winning the series 1-0.